High efficiency digital light processing engine

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for a pixelated light source that includes a plurality of pixels; a plurality of digital micromirrors configured to receive input light from the pixelated light source and configured to modify the input light to generate output light; and one or more controllers configured to control both the pixelated light source and the plurality of digital micromirrors to condition the output light.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An illumination system for a vehicle comprising:
 a pixelated light source that includes a plurality of pixels; 
 a plurality of digital micromirrors configured to receive input light from the pixelated light source and configured to modify the input light to generate output light; and 
 one or more digital signal processors, configured to:
 determine an operating mode of a plurality of operating modes of the vehicle, wherein the plurality of operating modes of the vehicle include a drive operating mode of the vehicle and a stationary operating mode of the vehicle; 
 receive road information data from one or more sensors; 
 generate, based on the operating mode of the vehicle and the road information data, a digital light processing frame and a light-emitting diode frame; 
 provide the digital light processing frame to one or more digital light processing controllers to control the plurality of digital micromirrors; and 
 provide a light-emitting diode frame to the one or more light-emitting diode controllers to control the pixelated light source. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a projection lens configured to receive the output light from the plurality of digital micromirrors. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2 , wherein each digital micromirror of the plurality of digital micromirrors comprises:
 a first state, wherein each of the plurality of digital micromirrors is arranged to direct the output light to the projection lens; and 
 a second state, wherein each of the plurality of digital micromirrors is arranged to direct the output light away from the projection lens. 
 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the light-emitting diode frame comprises a map comprising a plurality of bright zones and a plurality of dark zones, and 
 wherein the one or more light-emitting diode controllers are further configured to:
 activate each of the plurality of pixels corresponding to each of the plurality of bright zones of the map; and 
 deactivate each of the plurality of pixels corresponding to each of the plurality of dark zones of the map. 
 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a projection lens, and wherein the pixelated light source, the plurality of digital micromirrors, and the projection lens form a vehicle headlamp. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the pixelated light source comprises one of an light-emitting diode array and a high-definition pixel engine. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the state of each of the plurality of digital micromirrors is configured so as to direct the light to the projection lens in the form of an image. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the portion of the light received by the projection lens is conditioned to reduce glare to a driver. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more of:
 a GPS sensor; 
 a radar transceiver; or 
 a camera. 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the digital light processing frame and the light-emitting diode frame are configured to change, based on the road information data, at least one of:
 an intensity of the output light; 
 a color of the output light; 
 a shape of the output light; or 
 a pattern of the output light. 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the road information data comprises at least one of:
 weather data; 
 terrain data; 
 geographic data; 
 ambient light data; or 
 vehicle position information. 
 
     
     
       12. A method comprising:
 determining, by one or more digital signal processors of a vehicle, an operating mode of a plurality of operating modes of the vehicle, wherein the plurality of operating modes of the vehicle include a drive operating mode of the vehicle and a stationary operating mode of the vehicle; 
 receiving, by the one or more digital signal processors, road information data from one or more sensors; 
 generating, by the one or more digital signal processors and based on the operating mode of the vehicle and the road information data, a digital light processing frame and a light-emitting diode frame; 
 emitting, based on the light-emitting diode frame, light from a pixelated light source that includes a plurality of pixels; 
 receiving the light by a plurality of digital micromirrors, wherein each of the plurality of digital micromirrors comprises a first state and a second state; 
 directing, by one of the plurality of digital micromirrors operating in the first state and based on the digital light processing frame, a portion of the light to a projection lens; and 
 directing, by one of the plurality of digital micromirrors operating in the second state and based on the digital light processing frame, a portion of the light away from the projection lens. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising controlling both the pixelated light source and the plurality of digital micromirrors to condition the output light. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 selecting, by one or more digital light processing controllers and based on the digital light processing frame, the first state of at least one of the plurality of digital micromirrors; and 
 selecting, by the one or more digital light processing controllers and based on the digital light processing frame, the second state of at least one of the plurality of digital micromirrors. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the light-emitting diode frame comprises a map comprising a plurality of bright zones and a plurality of dark zones, and 
 wherein the method further comprises receiving, by one or more light-emitting diode controllers, the map. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 activating, by the one or more light-emitting diode controllers, each of the plurality of pixels corresponding to each of the plurality of bright zones of the map; and 
 deactivating, by the one or more light-emitting diode controllers, each of the plurality of pixels corresponding to each of the plurality of dark zones of the map. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 selecting, by one or more digital light processing controllers, the first state of at least one of the plurality of digital micromirrors based on the digital light processing frame; 
 selecting, by the one or more digital light processing controllers, the second state of at least one of the plurality of digital micromirrors based on the digital light processing frame; 
 selectively activating, by one or more light-emitting diode controllers, the plurality of pixels based on the light-emitting diode frame. 
 
     
     
       18. A method comprising:
 determining, by one or more digital signal processors of a vehicle, an operating mode of a plurality of operating modes of the vehicle, wherein the plurality of operating modes of the vehicle include a drive operating mode of the vehicle and a stationary operating mode of the vehicle; 
 receiving, by the one or more digital signal processors, road information data from one or more sensors; 
 generating, by the one or more digital signal processors and based on the operating mode of the vehicle and the road information data, a digital light processing frame and a light-emitting diode frame; 
 providing, by the one or more digital signal processors, the light-emitting diode frame to one or more light-emitting diode controllers to control a pixelated light source that includes a plurality of pixels; 
 providing, by the one or more digital signal processors, the digital light processing frame to one or more digital light processing controllers to control a plurality of digital micromirrors, 
 wherein the plurality of digital micromirrors are configured to receive input light from the pixelated light source and further configured to modify the input light to generate output light. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 ,
 wherein determining the operating mode of the vehicle comprises determining that the vehicle is in the drive operating mode, and 
 wherein generating, based on the operating mode of the vehicle and the road information data, the digital light processing frame and the light-emitting diode frame comprises:
 generating, based on the determination that the vehicle is in the drive operating mode and the road information data, a light-emitting diode frame configured to cause the one or more light-emitting diode controllers to control the pixelated light source to illuminate a roadway; and 
 generating, based on the determination that the vehicle is in the drive operating mode and the road information data, a digital light processing frame configured to cause the one or more digital light processing controllers to control the plurality of digital micromirrors to illuminate the roadway. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , further comprising receiving, from a driver, a selection of an image,
 wherein generating the digital light processing frame and the light-emitting diode frame comprises:
 generating a light-emitting diode frame configured to cause the one or more light-emitting diode controllers to control the pixelated light source to display the selected image; and 
 generating a digital light processing frame configured to cause the one or more digital light processing controllers to control the plurality of digital micromirrors to display the selected image. 
 
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 ,
 wherein determining the operating mode of the vehicle comprises determining that the vehicle is not in the drive operating mode, and 
 wherein generating, based on the operating mode of the vehicle and the road information data, the digital light processing frame and the light-emitting diode frame comprises:
 generating, based on the determination that the vehicle is not in the drive operating mode and the road information data, a light-emitting diode frame configured to cause the one or more light-emitting diode controllers to control the pixelated light source to display the selected image; and 
 generating, based on the determination that the vehicle is not in the drive operating mode and the road information data, a digital light processing frame configured to cause the one or more digital light processing controllers to control the plurality of digital micromirrors to display the selected image. 
 
 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the drive operating mode of the vehicle comprises an in-motion operating mode of the vehicle, and 
 wherein the stationary operating mode of the vehicle comprises one or more of a parked operating mode of the vehicle or a neutral operating mode of the vehicle.